Madhav K. Rimal in the U.S.

An unavoidable necessity made me leave the country at the most critical period of her history. Being juggled by most unscrupulous politicians, worse than Lendhup Dorjis, being bamboozled by the giant neighbor in the south-hypocritical to the tip of its nails-whose envoys are particularly briefed by their bosses to dominate the tiny powerless hosts by shamelessly transgressing their diplomatic parameter, and whose, so called, good friends gleefully enjoy the spectacles of their helplessness, poor Nepal is at the cross road of disintegration and survival. In this context, the few expatriate Nepalese believe that the demand of a few Madishe leaders of making “One Madesh One Pradesh” should not be acceptable to any patriotic Nepali. It is not just an invitation to really disintegrate the country but it will definitely invite a civil war and Nepal will be pushed back to the pre-Prithivi Narayan Shah era. But the sustaining dependability of the friendship of the northern neighbor, the growing awareness of reality in the teeming masses, the undying love and affection of millions expatriate Nepalis and Gurkha Veterans and the unshakeable loyalty of the Nepali army in the defense of their dear motherland have always stood as strong bulwarks against all impious motives against the vulnerable Himalayan nation. “Politicians, as a lot, (may be with a small exception) are scoundrels”—Samuel Johnson. Even in this great land of promises and endless opportunities politicians fall victims to sheer human weaknesses and start behaving in questionable behavior. They even go to the extreme of disparaging their founding fathers and gutting their constitution. Indeed, it may not be possible to assess the situation correctly in such a short time. So the assessments are based on what I have seen in the surface – a slick of oil. It might take some more time to probe what’s deep inside. But the things that are clear as the day are the miseries of common man caused by unthinkable hike in prices of consumer goods, especially the gas and looming recession. Majority of the people this scribe talked to point their finger at the Bush administration – the failed foreign policy and the unnecessary invasion of Iraq. There are others who still believe that the administration could, and still can, arrest the upward trend of the gas price. They directly hold President Bush responsible for their difficulties and the ignominies the nation is facing today. If the oil cartel were denied the official umbrella, the gas prices would not have soared so high but brought under manageable control and over all situation too would not have deteriorated. The beleaguered Americans are breathlessly waiting for the regime change which seems inevitable. Can the Nepali people also bring about a regime change like their American sisters and brothers?